Reference is made to FIG. 1, which is a simplified illustration of a prior art steering wheel. A prior art steering wheel 400, shown in FIG. 1, includes a circular gripping member 401, one or more connecting members 402-404 that connect the gripping member 401 to steering column 407, and buttons 405 and 406 on connecting members 402 and 403 for controlling various devices in the vehicle. Connecting members 402-404, which connect gripping member 401 to steering column 407, are also referred to as spokes. In FIG. 1, button 405 is used to answer an incoming phone call on the vehicle's BLUETOOTH® speaker phone and button 406 hangs up the call. BLUETOOTH is a trademark owned by the Bluetooth SIG of Kirkland, WA, USA. Controls mounted in a steering wheel can be operated comfortably and safely since the driver is able to control and operate these controls without taking hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.
Originally, the first button added to a steering wheel was a switch to activate the car's electric horn. When cruise control systems were introduced, some automakers located the operating switches for this feature on the steering wheel as well. Today additional button controls for an audio system, a telephone and voice control system, a navigation system, a stereo system, and on board computer functions are commonly placed on the steering wheel.
US Patent Publication No. 2012/0232751 A1 for PRESSURE SENSITIVE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS teaches adding pressure-sensitive controls to the circular gripping member of the steering wheel. Pressure sensors are located at various locations along the perimeter of the gripping member, and different locations correspond to different controls. A control is actuated in response to an application of pressure at a sensor location, e.g., by the user tightening his grip.
Many present-day vehicle dashboard consoles involve much more than simply displaying information to the driver. The driver, in many instances, is required to navigate a series of touch screen menus and icons in order to operate the dashboard console.